Wire bending machine for the bending of a wire or the like



Jan. 8, 1957 R. H. SAVAGE 2,776,678

WIRE BENDING MACHINE FOR THE BENDING OF A WIRE OR THE LIKE Filed June 4, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ROBERT HUNTINGTON SHVAGE Jan. 8, 1957 R. H. SAVAGE 6, 8

WIRE BENDING MACHINE FOR THE BENDING 4 OF A WIRE OR THE} LIKE Filed June 4, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ROBERT HUNTINGIION SAVAGE ATTORNEY Jan. 8, 1957 R. H. SAVAGE 2,776,673

WERE BENDING MACHINE FOR THE BENDING OF A WIRE OR THE LIKE '5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 4, 1953 INVENTOR ROBERT HUNTIN GIDON SAVAGE ATTORNEY Jan. 8, 1957 Filed June 4 1953 R. H. SAVAGE WIRE BENDING MACHINE FOR THE BENDING OF A WIRE OR THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 560 5&9

INVENTOR ROBERT H UNTINGIBON SAVAGE BY ATTO R N EY Jan. 8, 1957 R. H. SAVAGE 2,776,678

' WIRE BENDING MACHINE FOR THE BENDING OF A WIRE OR THE LIKE Filed June 4, 1955 5 SheetsSheet 5' INVENTOR ROBERT HUNTING-ION SAVAGE ATTORNEY WIRE BENDING MACHINE FOR THE BENDING OF A WIRE OR THE LIKE Robert H. Savage, Bally, Pa., assignor to Contemporary Metals Inc., Bally, Pa.

Application June 4, 1953, Serial No. 359,617

4 Claims. (Cl. 140-71) This invention relates to machines for bending wires, strips, bars or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine for bending wires or the like to curves of constant or varying radii and/ or direction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wire bending machine with very low power requirements.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wire bending machine which may handle wires of any length.

Another object of the invention is to improve on the art of wire bending machines or the like as now customarily made.

Other objects and structural details of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a wire bending machine according to the invention,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is an elevational view seen in the direction of the arrows 4-4 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the bending dies for use in the machine according to the invention,

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of bending dies for use in the machine according to the invention,

Fig. 9 is a top plan view as seen in the direction of the arrows 99 of Fig. 8,

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on line 1010 of Fig. 9,

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatical illustration of the electrical system of the Wire bending machine according to the invention,

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatical illustration of the wire bending machine according to the invention,

Fig. 13 is a side elevational view of the magazine of a machine according to the invention, and

Fig. 14 is a sectional view taken on line 1414 of Fig. 13.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, generally indicates the support of the machine including a beam 22 extending longitudinally of the machine.

A plate 24 is secured to the support 20 in any suitable manner, for example by screws or by rivets or by welding. A driving pulley 26 is keyed to a shaft 28 journalled in a bearing 30 of said plate 24 and in another bearing 32 mounted on a bracket 34 secured to the support 20 in any suitable manner. Said driving pulley 26 may be rotated through the medium of a belt drive (not shown) by any suitable device, for example by an electromotor 210 (see Fig. 11).

A pinion 36 keyed to the shaft 28 is in mesh with a gear 38 secured to a shaft 40 rotatably mounted on the plate 24. A pinion 42 also secured to said shaft 40 is in mesh with a gear 44 secured to a shaft 46 journalled in the nitcd States Patent 0 plate 24. The gear 44 in turn is in mesh with another gear 48 secured to a shaft 50 journalled in the plate 24. Said gear' 48 meshes with another gear 52 keyed to a bushing 53 rotatably and removably mounted on a stud 54 adjustably arranged in T-siot 56 of an arm 5'7, said arm 57 being adjustably mounted on the plate 24. A pinion 58 keyed to said stud 54 meshes with a gear 60 secured to a shaft 62 journalled in a bearing 64 of the plate 24. Said shaft 62 carries a disk 65 rigidly connected therewith. A cam 66 is attached to one side of said disk 65 by screws 67. Said cam 66 is operatively engaged with a roller 68 carried by a cam follower 7i? swingably mounted on the plate 24 at 72. The hooklike end of said cam follower 78 is in operative engagement with a bending unit generally indicated by 74. A length of wire 112 may be fed to said bending unit 74 by means of feed rolls 76 and '78 rigidly connected with said shafts 46 and 50 respectively. Above described eX- changeable and adjustable arrangement of the gears 52 and 58 permits an easy change of the ratio of speed between the feed rolls 76, 78 and the cam 66.

As best shown in Figs. 1-4, the bending unit 74 comprises two bending dies 80 and 82 hinged to each other at 84. A spring 86 interposed between the dies 80 and 82 tends to spread same apart. Each die 81) and 82 respectively has an active portion 38 and 91 respectively for bending purposes. Said active portions may be integral with the main body of the die as shown in the drawings or may be attached to the main body in any suitable manner. An H-shaped guiding element 92 and a U-shaped guide 96 are attached to a plate-like anvil 98 which in turn is rigidly connected with the support 26 in any suitable manner. The bending unit 74 is slidably arranged on said guides 92, 94 and 96 (termed herein after the controlling means) for a reciprocating displace ment .in the direction of the double arrow A by the cam follower 70 (see Figs. 3 and 4). A spring-loaded element 100 pivoted at 102 to a bracket 11M attached to the anvil 98 by screws 166 is in engagement with one end of the bending unit 74 for urging same against the cam follower 70.

The die 80 is in abutting engagement with the anvil 98, so that this die 80 may act as an anvil. A hammer head 108 of an electric hammer generally indicated by 110 is arranged for cooperation with the swingable die 82. The electric hammer 110 is secured to the support 20 of the machine. The swinging movements of the die 82 in the direction of the double arrow B (see Fig. 3) caused by the action of the hammer 108, 110 are substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel of a wire 112 fed by the feeding rolls 76 and 78 to the bending unit 74 in the direction of the arrow C (see Figs. 2 and 4). Furthermore the movement of displacement of the bending unit 74 in the direction of the double arrow A is perpendicular to said swinging movement of the die 82 in the direction of the arrow B and perpendicular to the movement of the Wire 112 in the direction of the arrow C. i

As best shown in Figs. 3-7, the active portion 88 of the die 80 comprises two sections 88-1 and 88-2 merging at the center X. Likewise the active portion 941 of the die 82 comprises two sections 96-1 and 98-2 merging at the center Y. The sections 88-1 and 90-11 have a depression 114 and 116 respectively increasing in depth from the centers X and Y respectively towards the endwall of the die section in the longitudinal direction of the latter. The die sections 88-2 and 90-2 respectively have a ridge 118 and 120 respectively increasing in height from the centers X and Y respectively towards the end of the die section in the longitudinal direction of the latter. Moreover the sections 88-1 and 90-1 having the depressions 114 and 116 respectively are provided with laterally projecting flanges 122 and 124 respectively adjoining the lateral edges of the depression. The active portions 88 and X) of the dies 81) and 82 are arranged in such a manner, that the ridge 118 of the section 88-2 faces the depression 116 of the .section 90-1 and the ridge 120 of the section 98-2 faces the depression 114 of the section 88-1.

According to the embodiment shown in Fig. '7, the lateral edges and the adjoining flanges 122 and 124 respectively of the sections 88-1 and 90-1 are inclined from the center towards the end of the die in a direction inversed to the incline of the ridges 128 and 118 respectively of the opposite die section. However, if desired said lateral edges and adjoining flanges 122 and 124 respectively could extend in a substantially horizontal plane from the center of the active portion to the end of the latter.

The active portions 88 and 98 of the dies and 82 are normally somewhat spaced from each other by the action of the spring 86, so that the wire 112 can be fed into the space between the active portions of the dies by the feed rolls 76 and 78. When the position of the reciprocable bending unit 74 relative to the feed rolls 76 and 78 is such that the wire 112 passes along the center lines X and Y of the active portions 88 and of the dies, the wire will not be bent when the active portion 90 is moved towards the active portion 88 by means of the hammer head 198. if, however the bending unit 7-4 is displaced towards the right (as viewed in Figs. 3 and 7) by means of the cam 66 and cam follower 70 so that the wire assumes the position 112 (shown in dash and dot lines in Fig. 7) relative to the active portions 88 and 90, the wire will be bent upwardly, when the ridge 120 of the section 90-2 hits the Wire supported by the flanges 122 adjoining the depression 114 of the section 88-1. On the other hand, if the bending unit 74 is displaced towards the left (as viewed in Fig. 7) so that the wire assumes the position 112 (shown in dash lines in Fig. 7) relative to the active portions 88 and 90 of the dies, the wire will be bent downwardly when the flanges 124 of the section 90-1 hit the wire supported by the ridge 118 of the section 88-2. Owing to the slope of the ridges 118 and 120 from the center towards the end of the respective die section the degree of bending of the wire may be greater the nearer the wire is towards the end of the die section.

According to the embodiment of dies shown in Figs. 8-10, the die 588 acting as an anvil comprises the sections 588-1 and 583-2. The section 588-1 has a longitudinal center ridge 587 increasing in height from the center of the die towards the left hand end of the section 588-1.

Said center ridge 587 has two lateral inclined surfaces 577 and 578 joined with each other by a somewhat flattened top portion 579 extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the die (see Figs. 9 and 10). The section 588-2 has two longitudinal lateral ridges 589 separated from each other by the space 591. Each of said lateral ridges 589 increases in height from the center of the die towards the right hand end of the die section 588-2. Furthermore, as best shown in Figs. 9 and 10, each lateral ridge 589 has a substantially horizontal surface 560 merging into a downwardly inclined surface 561 along a crest 562. The two crests 562 diverge from the center of the die towards the right hand end of the die section 588-2. The swingable die 590 is of the same shape as the anvil-die 588, however the arrangement of said swingable die 5% is reversed, so that the center ridge 595 of its section 590-1 faces the space 591 between the lateral ridges 589 of the section 588-2 of the anvil-die 588 and the center ridge 587 of the section 588-1 of the anvil-die 588 faces the space between the lateral ridges 596 of the section 590-2 of the swingable die 590. When the bending unit is in such a position relative to the feed rolls that the wire 112 is in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 8, the wire will not be bent during its passage through the space between the dies. If however the bending unit is displaced so that the wire is, for example, in the position 112' relative to the dies, the wire will be bent upwardly. On the other hand if, for example, the wire is in the position 112" relative to the dies, the bending takes place in downward direction. Both the inclination of the ridges from the center to the ends of the die sections and the degree of diversion between the crests of the lateral ridges contribute to the degree of bending of the wire. If desired, however, the inclination of the ridges from the center to the ends of the die sections could. be omitted and the top bending edges of the ridges could extend in a horizontal plane.

After leaving the bending unit 74, the wire is gripped by a pair of rotatable take-off rollers 126 and 128 (see Fig. 2). The take-oil roller 128 rotatably mounted on a shaft 130 (see Figs. 1 and 2) carried by brackets 131 is driven by an endless cord 132 trained around said takeoff roller 128 and a pulley 134 keyed to the shaft 58 driven by the gear 48. The endless cord 132 is tensioned by a tensioning roller 136 journalled on an extension 138 of the shaft 130. Said extension 138 is under the action of a spring 140 interposed between said extension and the support of the machine. Preferably the take-off rollers 126 and 128 are rotated at the same peripheral speed as the feed rolls 76 and 78. The above described endless cord drive permits a slippage it due to a bend in the wire the resultant forward speed of the latter is not constant.

As best shown in Fig. 2, the direction of travel of the wire is inclined to the horizontal plane, preferably at an angle of approximately 45. However a larger or somewhat smaller angle could be chosen, if so desired. Said inclination of the path of the wire allows gravity to assist the take-off rollers to draw more easily the wire from the machine after it has left the feed rolls, and to cause the wire to fall free from the machine after it leaves the take-off rollers.

As best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, two plates 1 .7. and 144 are attached to the support 28 of the machine in spaced relationship. The wire delivered by the take-off rollers 1'26 and 128 enters the space between said two plates 142 and 144 whereby the wire is prevented from rotation about its own axis so .as to assure the bending of the wire in a single plane.

Of course, if desired, said spaced plates 142 and 144 could be omitted if a bending of the wire in several planes is desired.

On the other hand different means for preventing the wire from rotation could be used, if so desired.

The lengths of wire 112 are supplied to the feed rolls 76 and 78 from a magazine generally indicated by 146 connected with the support 20 of the machine by a bar 147. The front end of the lowermost wire 112 of a supply of wires placed into the magazine 146 abuts against the free end of a flat spring 148 attached to the magazine, so that it is prevented from leaving the magazine. A push rod 150 (see Fig. 13) sliclably arranged on the lower part of the magazine 146 carries an arm 152 adjustably mounted thereon by means of a screw 154. One end of a connecting rod 156 is pivoted to said arm 152. The other end of said connecting rod 156 is pivoted to the arm 158 of a double-armed lever 16?) swingably mounted at 162 on a bracket 164 secured to a bar 166 projecting from the magazine 146. Said bar 166 carries also a solenoid 168, the core 170 of which 'is pivoted to the arm 158 of the double-armed lever at 172. The other arm 174 of said double armed lever 169 is connected with one end of a spring 176, the other end of which is connected to the bar 166. Said spring 176 tends to hold the double-armed lever 160, the connecting rod 156 and the push rod 150. Its normal inactive position, is shown in full lines. When the solenoid 168 is energized, the double-armed lever 160 is swung into the position 160' shown in dash and dot lines, whereby the push rod 158 is advanced for urging the front end of the wi 112 against the fiat spring 148, which opens automatically for permitting the ejection of the wire 112 from themagazine 146 by the push rod 150. When the solenoid 168 is de-energized, the spring 176 returns the push rod 150 automatically into its inactive position.

The wire 112 ejected from the magazine passes through the bore 178 of a guide 180 (see Fig. 2) mountedon the plate 24 and arranged for leading the wire 112 to the feed rolls 76 and 78. A pair of plates 182 secured to the plate 24 form a second guide leading the wire advanced by the feed rolls 76 and 78 to the bending unit 74.

As best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a switch 184 mounted on a bracket 186 attached to the plate 24 is arranged adjacent the inner side of the cam 66. An actuating element 188 is secured to the inner side of said cam 66 for actuation of the switch 184 arranged in series with the solenoid 168 in a line 190 connected at 192 and 193 to the lines 200 and 201 which in turn are connected to the power lines 218, 211 (see Fig. 11). The switch 184 is normally in open condition. When during a rotation of the cam 66 the actuating element 188 mounted thereon actuates the switch 184 for closing same, the solenoid 168 is energized for causing an ejection of the wire 112 from the magazine 146 by means of the mechanism 158, 156, 150. Thus the ejection of a wire 112 for supplying same to the feed rolls 76, 7 8 is timed in relation to the operation of the machine.

Furthermore, as best shown in Figs. 11 and 12, the machine is equipped with two safety switches 194 and 196 arranged near to the dies 80 and 82. (For the sake of clarity said switches 194 and 196 are not shown in Figs. 1 and 2.) The switch 194 is arranged in front of said dies while the switch 196 is arranged behind said dies. As best shown in Fig. 11, said switches 1 94 and 196 are arranged in parallel between the line 291 and a line 198 including a relay 212 and connected at 213 to the line 268. The lines 200 and 201 are connected with the power lines 203 of an electric source. The armature 214 of the relay 212 is connected by the line 216 with one terminal of the hammer 110. The other terminal of said hammer 110 is connected with the line 260 which includes the main switch 218. The switches 194 and 196 are normally closed so that upon closing of the main switch 218 the relay 212 is excited. When the relay 212 is excited the armature 214 is attracted whereby it is disengaged from the terminal 228 of the line 201, so that the flow of electric current to the hammer is interrupted and the latter cannot operate. As soon as during the operation of the machine the advancing wire comes into engagement with the actuating leaves 282 and 284 (see Fig. 12) of the switches 194 and 196, the latter are opened, whereby the relay 212 (Fig. 11) is de-energized and the electric circuit of the hammer 110 is closed by the armature 214 engaging the terminal 220. It will be readily understood that the hammer may operate only when both of said switches 194 and 196 are opened, i. e. a length of wire is between the dies 89 and 82. If there is wire present at one of said two switches 194 and 196 only, or if there is no wire at all, the hammer 118 remains inactive. This safety arrangement prolongs the life of the dies. Preferably an insulating and shock absorbing plate of rubber is arranged between the relay 212 (being shown in Fig. 11 only) and the frame of the machine, whereby an undesired interruption of the hammer circuit due to vibrations is prevented.

Preferably, the hammer 110 is equipped with an adjusting device 206 by means of which the strength of the blow can be varied and/ or another adjusting device 208, by means of which the frequency of the hammer blows, i. e. the number of blows per second can be varied.

Moreover, preferably a speed transmission (not shown) operatively connected with the main shaft 28 is arranged for varying the speed of rotation of the feed rolls 76 and 78 and thus the travelling speed of the Wire.

The operation is as follows:

The magazine 146 is filled with a supply of Wires 112.

The feed rolls 76 and 78 are set for a pie-determined speed of rotation.

The hammer 110 is set for a pre-determined degree of strength of the blows.

A cam 66 of pro-determined shape is attached to the disk 65.

The main switch 218 is closed for starting the machine.

The actuating element 188 is in such a position that after the start of the machine it comes into engagement with the switch 184, whereby the solenoid 168 is energized for the ejection of a Wire 1122. During the continuation of the rotation of the actuating element 188 carried by the cam 66, the actuating element 188 is disengaged from the switch 184 whereby the latter is opened and the solenoid is de-energized. The wire 112 gripped by the feed rolls 76 and 78 is fed to the bending unit 74.

As soon as the wire 112 is advanced by the feed rolls 76 and 78 to such an extent that the switches 194 and 196 are closed, the hammer 116 starts to operate.

Assuming now, that the portion of the cam 66 being in engagement with the cam follower 70 holds the bending unit 74 in such a position, that the wire 112 passes along the center of the active portions 88 and 90 of the dies 88 and 82 as shown in full lines in Figs. 3, 7, 8 and 9, the wire is advanced without being bent although the swingable die 82 is actuated by the blows of the hammer 110. When during the rotation of the cam 66 higher portions of the circumference of the cam 66 come into engagement with the roller 68 of the cam follower 71) the bending unit 74 is shifted downwardly (as viewed in Fig. 2) or to the right (as viewed in Fig. 3) so that the Wire comes into position between the sections 881 and 98-2 (as indicated by 112 in Fig. 7), so that it is bent upwardly.

When, on the other hand, during the rotation of the cam 66 a lower portion of its circumference comes into engagement with the roller 68 of the cam follower 70 the spring-loaded element 180 (see Fig. 3) urges the bending unit 74 in left hand direction (as viewed in Fig. 3) or 1n upward direction (as viewed in Fig. 2) whereby the wire is brought into a position between the sect1on s 882 and 904 of the dies (as indicated by dash position 112" in Fig. 7) so that the wire is bent downwardly.

It is understood, that the circumference of the cam 66 is shaped in such a manner, that the bending unit 74 is displaced for causing the desired bends in the wire.

At a given pre-determined speed of the feed rolls 76 and 78 and at a given pro-determined number of blows per second of the hammer and at a given strength of the blows of the hammer 110, the wire will be bent to a higher degree, the farther it is from the centers X and Y of the dies. It will be bent upwardly at one side of the center and will be bent downwardly at the other side of the center. There will be no bending at all, when the wire is in the center.

For example the wire may be fed at a speed of 1% ft. per second and the hammer may have 60 blows per second.

The wire is subject to repeated blows of the hammer 110 during its passage through the bending unit 74. The amount which the wire is bent with each stroke of the hammer 110 acting on the movable die 82 is slight, but the frequency of the impacts makes it possible to obtain a bent with a short radius.

While the machine is in operation, the hammer 110 is automatically stopped as soon as the trailing end of the wire 112 is disengaged from the safety switch 194. Then, as soon as the actuating element 188 arranged on the continuously rotating cam 66 engages the switch 184 the solenoid 168 is energized for the ejection of another length of wire from the magazine 146 and above described steps are repeated.

It will be readily understood, that a further modification of the bending of the wire can be obtained by changing the speed of travel of the wire and/or by changing the number of blows of the hammer. The degree of bending of the wire will be the higher, the higher the number of blows per second at a given travelling speed of the wire.

Likewise a higher bending effect will be obtained when the force of the blows of the hammer is increased.

The machine according to the invention may be used for bending wires, strips, bars or the like in cold or hot condition.

I have described preferred embodiments of my invention, but it is understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration and that various omissions or changes in shape, proportion and arrangement of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalent elements for those herein shown and described may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

For example dies of different shapes may be used in the machine.

Furthermore means may be provided for feeding the length of wire to the bending die intermittently.

Moreover the actuating element for the switch 184 controlling the solenoid 168 may be arranged at another driven member of the machine or more than one actuating element may be arranged on the cam 66 if the latter is of such a shape and is driven at such a speed, that more than one length of wire pass through the machine until the cam performs a full revolution.

What I claim is:

1. Wire bending apparatus, comprising means for feeding wire along a linear path, means for driving said feeding means a pair of cooperating bending dies, means supporting said dies on opposite sides of said path, said dies having facing surfaces whose contours in the direction of the path are complementary, means for moving at least one of said dies toward the other and transverse to said path so that said surfaces engage and bend a wire moving along said path, control means to prevent a closing movement of the dies when no wire is present between them, said die surfaces having contours varying transversely of said path, so that portions of said wire engaged by different transverse portions of said contoured surfaces are bent with different curvatures and means synchronized with said wire feeding means to move both said dies simultaneously in a direction perpendicular to said path and also perpendicular to the movement of said one die toward the other, according to a predetermined cycle, and thereby to bend successive lengths of wire, each with a curvature varying along its length according to a predetermined pattern.

2. Wire bending apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which said feeding means includes means for initiating movements of individual separate lengths of wire along said path, and means for operating said movement intiating means at a predetermined time in said cycle of die movement.

3. Wire bending apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which said feeding means comprises a pair of feeding rolls positively gripping said wire and directing it along said path toward said bending dies, a pair of take-off rolls adapted to grip and move a length of wire leaving said dies, and slip friction drive means for said take-off rolls to allow movement thereof at a different speed than said feeding rolls to compensate for changes in the contour of the wire as it passes the dies.

4. Wire bending apparatus as defined in claim 1, including means defining said linear path so that the wire moves through the bending dies in a diagonal downward direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,122,092 Fedders Dec. 22, 1914 1,128,621 Nazel Feb. 16, 1915 1,434,068 Schlafiy Oct. 31, 1922 1,488,504 Keyes Apr. 1, 1924 2,272,473 Noll Feb. 10, 1942 

